Chương 10
Evelyn would sign a release stating that the apartment-transfer documents had been prepared with her general knowledge and that any false signature resulted from administrative error.
She read the final condition twice.
“He wants me to validate the forgery.”
“He wants ambiguity,” Miriam said.
Ellen leaned forward. “I want to be clear. I am not asking you to lie.”
“You brought me a document that requires it.”
“I brought you the only proposal that funds payroll next week.”
Samuel frowned. “That is not established.”
“It is established enough for the people expecting deposits Friday.”
Evelyn looked at Ellen. “Do you believe Richard didn’t know?”
“No.”
“Do you believe Jackson was primarily responsible?”
“No.”
“Then why present this?”
“Because factories do not run on morally satisfying answers.”
The sentence held no cruelty. That made it harder.
Ellen turned the binder toward Evelyn. “I have supervisors asking whether they should tell people to stay home. I have customers calling competitors. I have a line operator whose husband lost his job last month. She cannot absorb a missed paycheck while lawyers discover the correct shape of justice.”
“And if Richard stays out of prison by blaming Jackson?”
“That is not my decision.”
“It becomes part of mine if I sign.”
“Yes.”
Ellen did not look away. “That is why you are here.”
For two days, Evelyn considered the proposal.
She slept badly in the apartment in Manhattan after her cousin moved temporarily into a friend’s place. The rooms were familiar but not comforting. Her grandmother’s narrow dining table stood beside the window. A radiator clicked at night. The upstairs neighbor dropped something heavy at 6:10 every morning and then vacuumed.
Evelyn made lists.
Reasons to sign: payroll, retirement accounts, stability, time, reduced legal cost, the possibility that a restructured company could repay more than liquidation.
Reasons not to sign: the statement was false, Richard would escape full responsibility, Jackson would carry blame that was not solely his, the forged signature would become harder to prosecute, future employees and lenders would receive an incomplete account.
She hated that Jackson appeared on both sides of the decision.
He deserved consequences. He did not deserve his father’s entire crime.
Nora came over Thursday evening with takeout noodles and no money to repay the grocery loan.
“I’ll pay you next week,” she said.
“You said that last week.”
“I come from a family with liquidity issues.”
Evelyn laughed despite herself.
They ate from cartons at the narrow table. Nora had cut her hair unevenly over the sink in her new apartment. One side touched her jaw; the other curled behind her ear.
“Did you do that yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“The salon wanted a credit card.”
“That is not a reason to attack your head.”
“I panicked.”
Nora looked around the apartment. “Jackson hated this place.”
“He said the elevator was too slow.”
“He said it smelled like old people.”
“My grandmother was eighty-seven.”
“That supports his argument.”
They ate in silence for a while.
Then Nora said, “Are you going to sign?”
“I don’t know.”
“If you do, Dad wins.”
“Employees get paid.”
“For now.”
“Yes.”
“Jackson gets blamed.”
“Yes.”
Nora pushed noodles around the carton. “He knew enough.”
“He did.”
“But not everything.”
“No.”
“Dad will say he did.”
“Yes.”
Nora set down her fork. “I spent half my life wanting Jackson to get punished for something. He always drove too fast, talked too loud, broke things, cheated on girlfriends, and somehow Dad called it leadership. I thought I’d enjoy watching him finally get caught.”
“Do you?”
“No.”
Evelyn looked toward the window. Across the street, a man in a green apron dragged garbage bags from a restaurant. One split open at the curb. He stood there for several seconds, staring at the mess as though disappointment itself had weight.
Nora said, “I don’t want him protected. I just don’t want Dad to use him the way he used everyone.”
“You still love him.”
“He’s my brother.”
“That wasn’t an answer.”
“It’s the only one I have.”
The next morning, Genesis came to the apartment.
She arrived alone, wearing a camel coat and dark glasses. Without a driver or assistant, she seemed misplaced in the small lobby. She held an umbrella that would not close.
The elevator was slow.
When Evelyn opened the apartment door, Genesis lifted the umbrella as if offering evidence of hardship.
“This building is impossible.”
“You said that at my engagement dinner.”
“I was right.”
Evelyn let her in.
Genesis removed her glasses. There were pale crescents beneath her eyes. She looked around the living room and touched the back of a chair.
“Your grandmother had this reupholstered.”
“You remember?”
“She showed me the fabric before the wedding. She thought the blue was too dark.”
“She thought everything was too dark.”
“She thought I was too blonde.”
“She said that?”
“Repeatedly.”
A fragile smile passed between them and disappeared.
Genesis sat without being asked.
“Richard says you are refusing the settlement.”
“I haven’t decided.”
“You must sign.”
“Why?”
“Because the company will fail.”
“Richard has other assets.”
“Not enough liquid assets.”
“He can sell the art.”
“Some of it is pledged.”
“The cars.”
“Leased.”
“The Connecticut land.”
“Under dispute.”
“The foundation endowment?”
Genesis’s expression sharpened. “Restricted.”
“Is it still there?”
The question landed.
Genesis looked toward the window. “I have asked for an accounting.”
“And?”
“I have not received one.”
Evelyn sat across from her.
“How much did you know?”
“I knew Richard borrowed against the house. I knew the company was strained. I knew your apartment would improve the family balance sheet.”
“You knew it would be pledged.”
“I knew eventually.”
“When?”
“Before the lunch.”
“How long before?”
Genesis folded her gloves together. “Three days.”
“You still demanded it.”
“I believed the transfer had already been agreed.”
“By whom?”
“Jackson said you were being difficult about the paperwork but had agreed in principle.”
Evelyn closed her eyes briefly.
May you like
Genesis continued. “I did not know about the signature.”
“You saw me refuse.”
